we asked the president obama plan on calling the speaker or inviting the speaker to the white house and we haven't gotten a response. what is dumbing this all up is the tax rate increase. >> were not insisting on rates out of spite for any kind of partisan victory. but rather because we need to raise a certain amount of revenue. >> an obsession to raise taxes is not going to solve the problem. what will solve the problem is doing something about the entitlements, taking on wasteful spending in washington. speak up for the fiscal cliff is part of the half trillion dollars in cuts to the pentagon. the defense has been saying we will not plan for sequestration's because they don't want to be cautious because it is like a gun to the head. they're now looking into planning for this because we are getting pretty late, and that may become a reality. back to you. melissa: rich edson, thank you so much. lori: let's continue this discussion. it is going to happen, it is exactly what the democrats want. according to scott hodge of the tax foundation. what are some alternatives to raising revenue?